ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS

Assignment on ‘Environmental Degradation is necessarily an Economic Problem’

Submitted byAnjali Bansal

April 2014

Department of EconomicsFaculty of Social ScienceBanaras Hindu University

Varanasi-221005India

Under Supervision ofProf. M.MISHRA

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I take this opportunity to express my deep sense of gratitude and intentness to my project supervisor, Prof. K.N.P.RAJU, Department of Geography, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, for his new ideas, many thought provoking discussion, incisive comments and patient listening while allowing room to my novice ideas, for always leading me on in the right direction and for being source of strength and inspiration. I am proud of being one of his student and shall try my best to be worthy of it. I consider myself widely to have benefited from his vast experience.

Besides, this Dissertation work makes me realize the value of working together as a team in a new working environment which challenges me every minute. Not to forget, a great appreciation goes to Saurabh Tripathi, Vikas Dugesar & Triparna Settmy fellow mates, thanks for helping me from time to time during the training. The whole program really brought us together to appreciate the value of friendship, teamwork and respect each other.

I owe my regards to my parents who always encouraged me for higher studies against all kinds of odds and selflessly supported me in all my endeavors.

Finally, I like to express my thanks to all those who have helped me directly or indirectly in completion of this work.

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Rohit Kumar Jaiswal

CERTIFICATEDate: April, 2014

This is certify that dissertation work entitled “Some Environmental Aspects of the Ganga Ghats of Varanasi through GIS” being submitted by Mr.Rohit Kumar Jaiswal (Roll No. 12489SC020) as a partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of degree of M. Sc. (Environmental Science) by the Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, has been carried out by Rohit Kumar Jaiswal under thesupervision of the undersigned.

This dissertation fulfills the regulations laid down by the Banaras Hindu University for the award of M. Sc. (environmental Science) degree.

Prof. K.N.P. RajuDepartment of Geography

Faculty of Sciences Banaras Hindu University

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DEPARTMENT OF BOTANYBANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY VARANASI - 221005 (INDIA)

CERTIFICATEDate: April, 2014

This is certify that dissertation work entitled “Some Environmental Aspects of the Ganga Ghats of Varanasi through GIS” being submitted by Mr. Rohit Kumar Jaiswal (Roll No.- 12489SC020). It has been carried out by the candidate during the period of Jan to April last 2013 at the Department of Geography, Faculty of Sciences, Banaras Hindu University. The report is being submitted in the partial fulfillment of requirement of the award of degree of Master in Science in Environmental Science, Banaras Hindu University.

Prof. S.B. Agrawal Prof. L. C. Rai

Course Coordinator Head of the DepartmentEnvironmental Science Department of Botany Banaras Hindu University Banaras Hindu University

Varanasi – 221005 Varanasi – 221005

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Contents

Introduction Major urban problems Need for database Area of study Objectives and methodology Outcomes of mapping Environmental aspects Impacts Maps

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INTRODUCTIONOver the past few decades, there has been an increase in nationwide interest in restoring urban rivers, whether for open space or recreational purposes or as a catalyst for economic development. All across the country, cities that once turned their backs on their rivers are now welcoming them with open arms.

Riverfront sites with the greatest potential are often among the most ignored sections of our cities. These sites are dirty, abused, derelict, and plagued by environmental issues: unstable landfills, contaminated soils and water, lost habitats, disturbed artifacts, trapped sedimentary pollutants, etc. Flooding was also a major issue in all towns located on the river. Rivers were straightened and lined with concrete to regulate their flow and control flooding. Cities turned their backs on them, while highway planners found these abandoned riverbanks ideal sites for new highways. City residents were completely cut off from their rivers. Despite these issues riverfronts are still valued. Nothing quite compares to the experience of being close to the water’s edge.

Major Urban ProblemsWater is a defining force that fundamentally shapes the character of each place it touches. River sites have been an important part of city development since early civilizations. The role of water in transport, industry, sanitation and nourishment made it the raison the center of human settlement.

Increasing at a pace never before, population is the root cause for all the problems human beings arefacing today. High population density and unsustainable resource use and unplanned land use posing/raising a number of serious problems. Some urban problems of river side cities are as follows:

Floods Slums and population Floating population Air pollution Water pollution Noise pollution Solid waste Sewerage disposal

There are several environmental issues related to riverfront. New development should be sensitive to the natural habitats in the ecosystem. There are other environment hazards like floods or toxic residues of abandoned industrial sites. These factors must be taken into account and desirable solutions should be proposed to maintain safety along urban riverfronts.

River corridor represents greatest challenge and greater opportunity to redefine a city. To understand the opportunities available along the river corridor, it requires understanding the

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historical role of river in the development and the unique combination of factors that influence the urban riverfront development. The development should therefore be sensitive to geography, culture, timing, existing development, old structures and activities. With a greater understanding of the environmental issues inherent in riverfront sites and a commitment to an environmentally sensitive approach, it is possible, in the process of redeveloping the riverfront, to improve the environment rather than degrade it. Urban riverfront projects have a positive impact on water quality, because the renewed interest in riverfronts also focuses on improving the surrounding land use.

River involves a myriad of problems, ranging from riparian rights of adjacent property owners to public perception of the value of public space. This, along with other land use and zoning issues and liabilities, creates issues for the riverfront development. With greater understanding of the environmental and social issues inherent in riverfront sites and a commitment to a sensitive approach, it is possible in the process of redeveloping the riverfront, to improve the environment rather than degrade it and ensure vibrant co-existence.

Need for Data BaseTo suggest any planning and management measures, one must have a map of the geographical space under study in hand giving the status of various environmental factors. The data base must be of greater detail mapped at as large a scale as possible. As we can’t physically and mentally handle enormous amounts of spatial data, the data essentially has to be made computer compatible. And the best tool that is available to us today is GIS which helps us in storing, processing, visualizing and retrieving the data quickly in order to take appropriate decisions.

Area of StudyVaranasi also known as Benares or Kashi, is an Indian city on the banks of the Ganges (Ganga) in Uttar Pradesh, 320 kilometers (200 mi) southeast of the state capital, Lucknow. It is the holiest of the seven sacred cities (Saptapuri) in Hinduism and Jainism, and played an important role in the development of Buddhism. Some Hindus believe that death at Varanasi brings salvation. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Varanasi is also known as the favorite city of the Hindu deity Lord Shiva as it has been mentioned in the Rig-Veda that this city at older times was known as Kashi or "Shiv kiNagari".

Varanasi is located in the middle Ganges valley of North India, in the Eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, along the left crescent-shaped bank of the Ganges, averaging between 50 feet (15 m) and 70 feet (21 m) above the river . It is the headquarters of Varanasi district. By road, Varanasi is located 797 kilometers (495 mi) southeast of New Delhi, 320 kilometers (200 mi) southeast of Lucknow, 121 kilometers (75 mi) east of Allahabad, and 63 kilometers (39 mi) south of Jaunpur. The "Varanasi Urban Agglomeration" – is an agglomeration of seven urban sub-units – covers an area of 112.26 km 2 (approximately 43 mi²). The urban agglomeration is stretched between 82° 56’E – 83° 03’E and 25° 14’N – 25° 23.5’N.

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Being located in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of North India, the land is very fertile because low level floods in the Ganges continually replenish the soil. Varanasi is often said to be located between two confluences: one of the Ganges and Varuna, and other of the Ganges and Assi, although the latter has always been a rivulet rather than a river. The distance between the two confluences is around 2.5 miles (4.0 km), and religious Hindus regard a round trip between these two places – a Pancha-kroshi Yatra (a five-mile (8.3 km) journey) ending with a visit to a SakshiVinayak Temple – as a holy ritual.

Fig.1 Location of Varanasi District and Varanasi city and ghats of study (red line) along the left bank of River Ganga.

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The Ganges or Ganga, is a trans-boundary river of India and Bangladesh. The 2,525 km (1,569 mi) river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. By discharge it ranks among the world's top 20 rivers. The Ganges basin is the most heavily populated river basin in the world, with over 400 million people and a population density of about 1,000 inhabitants per square mile.

The 'Ghats' are undoubtedly the most valuable assets of Varanasi. None can imagine this holy city sans its numerous Ghats that dot the nearly 7 km arc line of the Ganges riverfront between the confluence of the River Asi in the south and the Varuna in the north.

Ghats are embankments made in steps of stone slabs along the river bank where pilgrims perform ritual ablutions. Ghats in Varanasi are an integral compliment to the concept of divinity represented in physical, metaphysical and supernatural elements. All the Ghats are locations on "the divine cosmic road", indicative of "its manifest transcendental dimension". Varanasi has at least 84 Ghats. Steps in the Ghats lead to the banks of River Ganges, including the Dashashwamedh Ghat, the Manikarnika Ghat, the Panchganga Ghat and the Harishchandra Ghat (where Hindus cremate their dead). Many Ghats are associated with legends and several are now privately owned. Many of the Ghats were built when the city was under Maratha control. Marathas, Shindes (Scindias), Holkars, Bhonsles, and Peshwas stand out as patrons of present-day Varanasi. Most of the Ghats are bathing Ghats, while others are used as cremation sites. Morning boat ride on the Ganges across the Ghats is a popular visitor attraction. The extensive stretches of Ghats enhance the river front with a multitude of shrines, temples and palaces built "tier on tier above the water’s edge".

Objective and Methodology Though the Ghats of the Ganga in Varanasi are famous and popular for a variety of reasons, the environment of the ghats is not up to the mark. There is problem of silt deposition, there is the problem of civic amenities and there is the problem of stench, filth and sanitation. And, fortunately and unfortunately every tourist, national and international pay a visit to the Ghats of the Ganga.

In the present study, it is proposed to prepare a large scale map of the Ghats at 1:100 showing the status of various environmental aspects. Such a map showing the entire length of ghats is non-existent.

The methodology adopted to make the proposed map of ghats is as follows:

To obtain Ground Control Points (GCPs) with a high accuracy DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System), the machines are set up and data is recorded for four hours each point. Three GCPs are taken with a configuration of an approximate equilateral triangle.

One of these GCPs is taken as a reference point (with its Easting, Northing and Height amsl) and further mapping is done using a Total Station.

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A number of sightings are taken depending upon changes in heights and directions of various spaces, features and steps.

These points which give us ENH values are then converted into shape files with a UTM projection using WGS 84 Datum.

The TS points are then joined and finally the map is prepared in line file. This ghats line map is printed and various environmental aspects like silt deposition,

water leakage and slippery surfaces and steps, garbage and other waste dumps, places of open defecation and urination and the resultant stench.

Outcomes of mappingA clean and hygienic environment begets healthy living, but the rising menace of indiscriminate urination, defecation and throwing garbage’s in public places has proved to be a consistent barrier in achieving this feat. One cannot help but wonders what has gone wrong.

Water is a defining force that fundamentally shapes the character of each place it touches. River sites have been an important part of city development since early civilizations.

The Ganges or Ganga, is the largest river in India. It is 2.525 km long and crosses the whole country. The Ganges basin is the most heavily populated river basin in the world, with over 400 million people. It’s the most sacred river to Hindus and is also a lifeline to millions of Indians who live along its course and depend on it for their daily needs.

No place along her banks is more longed for at the moment of death by Hindus than Varanasi. It is the holiest place in Hinduism and often referred to as “the holy city of India“.

The people in Varanasi don’t seem to care about the pollution of the Ganges. For many this is the only opportunity to take a shower. Varanasi (already a city of millions) is visited by many thousands of pilgrims each year who want to take a “holy dip” in the Ganges. Only this city releases around 200 million liters of untreated human sewage into the river each day.

Those who are lucky enough to die in Varanasi, are cremated on the banks of the Ganges & granted instant salvation. There are exceptions; pregnant women, children, holy people and people who died from a snake bite are not cremated but are lowered into the river. Sooner or later they will show up at the surface again … Everything might be holy in Varanasi but nobody bothers if a dead body floats by … and they float by quite often. This is something we have never seen before but it’s nothing special in India. We would say: “dawn of the dead reality show daily from your hotel terrace” … To some of you, this shot might be too much for posting here but this is the brutal reality. So, this also means that there’s a lot pollution; the Ganges suffers from extreme pollution levels. Sewage from many cities along the river’s course, industrial waste and religious offerings wrapped in non-degradable plastics add large amounts of pollutants to the river as it flows through densely populated areas. The problem is that many poor people rely on the river on a daily basis for bathing, washing, and cooking.

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It is common sight at ghats to find people urinating or defecating either directly into the river or in seemingly obscure corners, sometimes, in the full glare of passersby. The menace of indiscriminate urination and defecation is seemingly evident even outside the shores of the country. There was this funny story of a young man who was arrested for urinating in public overseas and the first question the officer popped to the defaulter was, are you from India? The health hazard posed by this repugnant habit cannot be overemphasized.

Most of people residing near ghats argue that the public nature of ghat at this spot makes regulation virtually impossible. Banaras, some point out, does not have a strong central religious authority, like that in city of Haridwar, to enforce rules in a uniform fashion.

On ghats, while pilgrims perform ablutions, others wash cloths with soap, a panda spits, and urban sewage flows into the river under the ghat floor. Along river bank, early morning defecation occurs in few open places. The vacant field upstream from Assi ghat and the flood plain on the eastern bank of the river are the more popular locations for ridding the body of impurities, But some people quick to lament that some people defecate directly on the bathing ghats (although generally in a les trafficked corner), spit the juice of betelnut chew (paan), and wash their cloths alongside pious bathers. Gandagi (Dirt) surrounds those who seeks purification.

The Sharing of the river, stands out as a distinctive feature of these human-ecology interactions.

Some key issues of ghats are as-

1. SiltationEvery year, the ganga changes during the monsoon. she becomes mightier than ever… moves swiftly, charging down the slopes, and everywhere by her banks are signs of warning. “do not enter the water”. after the monsoon, all is calm. the water slowly recedes and the ganga is accessible but the ganga has left behind her monsoon fury. Theghats& kunds or ponds are covered with thick, sticky layers of silt and they need to be cleaned. it is an arduous task. The silt and mud had been left behind by the receding Ganga after the floods. Many stairs are still under water, the sludge had entered even temples situated at higher places on the ghats. Ganga had crossed the danger mark four times this year, leaving sludge and silt on the ghats.

The slow pace of silt removal work is also hindering the various commercial and tourists engagements on the ghats.

Ghats from Assi to Bhadeni are most silted because of their structures.

2. Slum and Unauthorized populationPerpetual flow of peoples from villages to cities creates many socioeconomic problems. The density of population of cities rises and civic amenities fall short of need, law and order situation deteriotes. New entrants start living on pavements, public palaces and thatched huts. That way slum comes up.

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Most of the slum people are Rickshaw puller, scooter driver and labor coming from neighbour’s villages. Ghats provide space to live as well as the water to perform their daily routines like bathing, washing clots and for sanitation.

But due to lack of civic amenities and low income the living standard is much below to the level should be. Along with low living standard for themselves creating unhighgenic conditions for visitors and for ghats.

3. Garbage’s and remains of daily utilitiesThe common practice of dumping garbage on the Ganga river bed by the residents, slum dwellers of ghats and the tourists is a testimony to the fact that it does not believe in leading by example. It does not follow what it preaches to others.

Piles of garbage are found at the cross banks of the Ganga at most of the ghats. Due to irregular cleaning and garbage collection exercise, even the so-called VIP ghats like Rajendra Prasad Ghat and Dashashwamedh Ghat are littered with waste materials. Even stairs of the ghats are not spared.

4. Water spill and slippery surface

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5. Direct opening of drains and nalla’s

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6. Open urination and defecation

In most of the tourist places be it Golconda Fort, or beaches in Goa and Pondicherry toilets are almost non-existent.It seems we do not have a concept of public hygiene, and toilets are considered a waste of space. I mean why bother when the nation is available as a free public toilet.The few public toilets that are available in public places mark their presence from miles by the stink they create.

But the worst hit are our holy cities, which convert into a spectacle of shit during major festivals. The irony is the very same people who are taking a dip in the holy Ganges, hoping for Nirvana are using the banks for defecating. Urinating men in public even on Ghats of Benaras is such a common and ugly side that you just can’t avoid it. While walking on the Ghats of Benarasinvariably in most of the corners guys pissing against the walls will come into the scene. But before we ostracize the citizens of India, let us remember that they do not have a choice, and even when they have choice the facilities available are so pathetic that only somebody actively looking for urinary tract infection will use them.

Think within our tourism policy of India (if we have one), we should give Toilets at tourist places importance and work actively to make sure clean, easily accessible toilets are available to visitors. How tough it can be for a country that sends rockets to Mars?

7. Holy waste14

The floral wastes of the religious sites in the holy city will not give a filthy look nor will they go in waste in the coming days.

In the official records of VNN and other agencies the estimated quantity of the total floral waste remains over 3.5 tons per day in the city. However, this figure includes the quantity of floral waste of the temples and other religious sites only while the flower used in offering to the rivers, decoration purposes and other uses remain uncounted. As per the rough estimate of the traders of flower markets, the actual floral waste of the city never remains below 10 tons a day. The improper disposal of the same waste not only gives a filthy look to the streets and roads but also distorts the image of ghats along the river Ganga.

8. Bathing and cloth washing

9. Cremation remains and dead bodiesThe cremation is an essential element in hindu religion. To reduce the body of the departed into ashes makes it possible for the immortal heart, which wonders on earth to carry on its way, released frtom its carnal envelop, and to reappear under a new form.

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After the cremation, the ashes are then dispersed in the holy river. Unfortunately, many hindu families do not have the means of paying for sufficient wood to allow a total cremation of the corpse. The hardly burnet bodies are thus thrown in the Ganga river.

And what doesn’t help at all, the police force and its cleaning services also get rid of the unclaimed bodies in the powerful water of the river.

According to estimates, the Ganga would thus receive each day the remains of some 400 human corpses accompanied by a few 1550 tons of wood used for the cremation. With that, about 9000 carcasses of animals which are abandoned in the water, another important pollution cause.

Some crematorium were already setup in Varanasi but they hardly used by the poor Hindu. Lastly, the government released thousands of necrophageous tortoises, hoping they would devour floating corpses. It was failure: the reptiles were quickly captured and consumes by the poorest residents.

10. Lack of basic amenities

11. Animal waste and animals

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12. Epidemiological issues13. Psychology of local peoples 14. Government policies

Impacts of degraded environment on ghatsThese issues badly affecting the Ecological and aesthetic values of world famous ghats of oldest living city of human civilization. The outcomes of these key issues are as-

1. Diminishing aesthetic and cultural values of ghats2. River ganga losing its purity status3. Vulnerability to epidemic events4. Vulnerability to disasters events5. Loosing tourist attraction6. River biodiversity at stack7. Livelihood of locals 8. Paralyzing government policies

The final map is split into a number of figures in order to show the contents at large scales. The legend is same for all the figures and hence is given only at one place (pages 19,20) as a common legend.

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